Journal-lubricator



J. J. HENNESSY.

, JOURNAL LUBRICATOR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. I919 MM mm g in 6 M W, e mm s x v w M a n a 2 2 J 2 I M MMNMFI WWW a n 59 JAMES J. HENNESSY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

To all whom it may concem Be it known that 1, JAMES J. HENNESSY,-

tion.

My invention relates generally to lubrieating devices and more particularly to a railway car journal lubricator of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,265,199 granted to me May 7, 1918. and in my copending patent application filed August 15-, 1918, Serial Number 250,045.

The principal objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the lubricating devices disclosed in the aforesaid patent and application for patent; and to provide a relatively simple journal lubricating device that can be easily and cheaply produced and said device being positive in action and effective to a high degree in performing its intended functions.

In my patent above referred to a pump is utilized for effecting a circulation of liquid lubricant, the piston of which pump is operated by inertia resulting from the longitudinal movement of the journal within the journal box and in my above-mentioned application, the plunger of the liquid lubricant circulating pump is actuated by mechanism operated'as a result of direct contact with the journal or with a part carried thereby.

As distinguished from, these constructions, my present invention contemplates a structure which entirely eliminates the plunger or piston of the pump. the liquid lubricant pumping or circulating action being brought about by trapping the liquid lubricant in chambers formed between 'a stationary member and a movable member, the latter being carried by the journal and said trapped lubricant being forced upwardly past check valves into a body of waste or the like which is maintained in directcontact with the underside of the journal.

By virtue of my improved construction, the lubricating device comprises a relatively small number of operating parts, which pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 20, 1919.

JooRNAL-LUBitIoA'ron.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Serial No. 305,711.

vision materially decreases the cost of manufacture, installation and repairs, and minimizes the liability of the lubricating device becoming inoperative while in service.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through'the center of a journal box and showing my improved lubricating device positioned therein.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 1 and showing a modified form of the journal lubricator.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings and particularly to the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, 10 designates the housing of an ordinary journal box in which is arranged the journal 11 on the end of a wheel carrying axle 12, said journal bearing against the usual brass or composition bearing block (not shown).

Disposed within the journal box 10 beneath the journal 11 is a pan or container, the same comprising an elongated body portion 13 which is substantially U-shape in cross section, a relatively "short inner end wall 14. and a relatively high outer end wall 15*.

or container near its center is a recess 15 which is occupied by the upper portion of a compression spring 16, the lower end of the latter bearing on top of the bottomv of the box 10, and this spring normally exerts upward pressure against the pan or container and maintains it in a position slightly above the bottom of journal box 10. Disposed within the bottom of the pan or container and extending longitudinally therein are a pair of parallel walls or flanges 17 and formed integral with or fixed to the bottom of the pan between these flangesis a pair of blocks 18, the same being provided with vertically disposed outer end faces 19.

Theupper surfaces of these blocks 18 ocmember 13 that is directly above the spring pocket or recess 15.

Arranged for rolling movement upon the upper surfaces of the blocks 18 and the interposed surface of the member 13 is a series of'balls 20, the same serving as a rolling support for the waste container forming a part of my improved device. The body 21 of this container is substantially U-shape in cross section and the space betweenthe central portion of said body and the under side of the journal 11 is filled with waste 22 which in service makes direct contact with said journal.

The outer end of the body 21 of the waste container is provided with a relatively heavy rib 23, the upper surface of which bears directly against the journal at a point near the flange 11 on the outer end thereofand interposed between this rib 23 and said flange is a packing member or washer 24 of wood, metal, fiber, or the like.

' Formed integral with the inner end of body 13 is a relatively heavy rib 25, the

upper surface of which fits snugly against the surfaces of the axle 12 and journal 11 adjacent to the shoulder 11 at the inner end of said journal. Formed in the top of this rib 25 is a transversely disposed channel 26, the .same being disposed immediately below shoulder 11 and leading downwardly through this rib is a duct 27 for conveying any oil that may accumulate in channel 26 back to the pan or container 13.

It will be understood that the upward pressure of spring 16 is transmitted through the body 13 of the liquid lubricant container and through the rolling supports 20 to the waste container 21 and that the upper surfaces of the ribs 23 and 25 of the latter are held in close engagement with the surfaces of the journal so that there is very little if any leakage of oil outwardly past said ribs.

Formed in the bottom of waste container 21 and adjacent to the ribs 23 and 25 are vertically disposed recesses 28 and arranged in the lower portion of each recess is an inwardly projecting flange 29, the same serving as a seat for a spherical check valve 30. This valve is yieldingly maintained on its seat by a relatively light coil spring 31, the upper end of the latter bearing against the underside of a perforated plug 32 that is removably seated in the upper portion of recess 28.

Depending from the underside of the waste container is a hollow structure comprising a pair of parallel side walls 33 and a pair of end walls 34, said side walls occupying positions immediately inside and ad acent to the longitudinally disposed webs or flanges 13 and said end walls 34 being disposed short distances away from the end faces 19 of the blocks 18.

Formed in one or both of the side walls 33 near the end walls 34 are openings or ports 33 which are for the purpose of admitting liquid lubricant to the pockets between the shoulders 19 and end walls 34.

It will be understood that journal box 10 occupies a fixed position in the truck side frame and that while in operation, wheel carrying axle 12, in addition to its rotary motion, has a certain amount of longitudinal movement, the latter being more or less irregular and due to alarge extent to slight variations in the track.

In my improved lubricating device, the pan or container 13 which holds a supply of liquid lubricant maintains a relatively fixed position while the waste container 21 and parts carried thereby moves lengthwise the pockets between the straight end walls 19 of the blocks 18 and the end walls 14 depending from the waste container, will be forced upwardly as said space becomes smaller due to the movement of the waste container in one direction, and the lubricant thus forced upwardly will unseat and pass the corresponding ball valve 30 and thus be trapped within the corresponding recess 28. As this pumping action continues, the liquid lubricant will be caused to flow intermittently upward through the recesses 28 and will discharge through the perforated plugs 32 into the body of waste carried by the container 21, and thus while the wheel carrying axle is in operation, the journal on the end thereof willbe continuously lubricated by virtue of its contact with the oil saturated body "of waste.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a lubricant'container or pan 35 is positioned in the journal box beneath the journal and forced upwardly under the influence of a plurality of fiat springs 36. The

central portion of the container 35 is provided with a depending elongated pocket .37 and formed in the bottom of this pocket near its center is a transversely disposed lug 38.

Arranged for rolling movement in the bottom of the pocket 37 are balls 39, the same serving as rolling supports for a waste receptacle 40, the latter being provided near its ends with transversely disposed ribs 41 which fit snugly against the surface of the journal 42 adjacent to its ends. The space between these ribs 41 is filled with ,a body of waste 43 which makes direct contact with the surface of the journal.

Formed in the under side of the waste receptacle 40 is a longitudinally disposed rc cess 44 into which projects the transverse lug 38 and formed in one of the walls to the side of this pocket is an oil inlet port 45. Formed in the bottom of the container 40 above one end of this recess 44 is a vertically disposed recess 46 and arranged in the lower ortion thereof is an annular seat 48 for a all check valve 47. This ball is normally held upon its seat by a relatively light coil spring 49, the upper end of the latter bearing against the underside of the perforated plug 50 which is removably seated in the upper end of recess 46.

When this form of automatic lubricator is in operation, the container 40 moves lengthwisewithin the lubricant container 35 with the journal 42 and oil trapped in chamber 44 between the lug 38 and the recess 46 will, as a result of the pumping action, be intermittently forced upwardly past check valve 47 intoreoess 46 and from thence said oil will pass upwardly from the perforated plate 50 to maintain the body of waste 43 in saturated condition.

It will be understood that in both forms of my improved lubricator there is suflicient clearance between the bottom of the waste containers and the liquid lubricant containers to permit the latter to move freely in both directions, but that this clearance is not great enough to permit the escape of the trapped oil as the longitudinal movement of the waste containers continues past the oil inlet ports 33 and 45. Consequently, a portion of the trapped oil will, upon each lengthwise movement of the waste container, be forced upwardly past the adjacent check valve and finally said oil will be discharged directly into the bodies of waste in the containers.

A lubricating device of my improved construction is comparatively simple, can be easily and cheaply manufactured, can be readily utilized in connection with the prevailing types of journal boxes, is wholly automatic in operation. and provides eiiicient means for delivering liquid lubricant to the waste or like material which contacts directly with the journal of an axle, thus insuring constant lubrication to that portion of the journal that engages the brass or journal bearing.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved lubricating device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is':

1. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant container adapted to be positioned in the journal box and held against lengthwise movement therein, a waste container applied to the under side of the journal in the box and movable lengthwise therewith, there being a pocket formed between parts of the liquid lubricant container and waste container, in which pocket oil is trapped during the movement of the waste container lengthwise with respect to the lubricant container, there being a passageway leading from said pocket to the waste compartment of said waste container and means for controlling the flow of liquid lubricant in one direction through said passageway.

2. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant container adapted to be positioned in the journal box and held against lengthwise movement therein, a waste container applied to the under side of the journal in the box and movable lengthwise therewith, there being a pocket formed between parts of the liquid lubricant container and waste container, in which pocket oil is trapped during the movement of the waste container lengthwise with respect to the lubricant container, there being a passageway leading from said pocket to the waste compartment of said waste container, and a check valve in said passageway.

3. journal lubricator comprising an oil receptacle adapted to be positioned in a journal box, a waste container positioned against the under side of the journal operating within said box and movable longitudinally therewith, rolling supports for said waste container, there being a pocket between the two containers in which oil is waste container, there being a pocket formed between the containers in which oil is adapted to be trapped during the lengthwise movement of the waste container, and there being an oil passageway leading from said pocket to the'waste compartment in said waste receptacle.

5. The combination with a journal box, of a waste holder positioned within the box beneath the journal therein and movable lengthwise with said journal, rolling supports for said waste holder, there being an oil passageway formed through said waste holder, a check valve for controlling the passage of liquid lubricant in one direction through said passageway, and a liquid lubricant container positioned in the journal box beneath said waste holder.

6. The combination with a journal box, of a waste holder positioned within the box beneath the journal therein and movable lengthwise with said journal, rolling supports for said waste holder, there being an oil passageway formed through said waste holder, a liquid lubricant container posicontain waste, the waste receptacle being adapted to bear directly against a journal and move longitudinally therewith, there being a pocket between said receptacles in which liquid lubricant is adapted to be trapped, there being an oil passageway formed in the waste container and leading from said pocket to the waste compartment in said receptacle and means located in said passageway for controlling the flow of oil'in one direction therethrough.

8. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant receptacle, a waste receptacle arranged for lengthwise movement in said lubricant receptacle, there being a pocket formed between said receptacles in which liquid lubricant is trapped during the movement of the waste receptacle, there being a passageway formed through the waste receptacle from said pocket to the waste compartment in said waste receptacle and means located in said passageway for controlling the flow of oil in one direction therethrough.

9. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant receptacle, a waste receptacle arranged for lengthwise movement in said lubricant receptacle, there being a pocket formed between said receptacles in which liquid lubricant is trapped during the movement of the waste receptacle, there-being a passageway formed through the waste receptacle from said pocket to the waste compartment in said waste receptacle, means located in said passageway for controlling the flow of oil in one direction therethrough, and roller bearings for said waste receptacle.

10. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant receptacle, a waste receptacle arranged for lengthwise movement in said lubricant receptacle, there being a. pocket formed between said receptacles in which liquid lubricant is trapped during the movement of the waste receptacle, there being a passageway formed through the waste receptacle from said pocket to the waste compartment in said waste receptacle, and 'a resilient support for said liquid lubricant receptacle.

11. In a journal lubricator, a liquid lubricant receptacle, a waste receptacle arranged for lengthwise movement in said lubricant receptacle, there being a pocket formed between said receptacles in which liquid lubricant is trapped during the movement of the waste receptacle, there being a passageway formed through the waste receptacle from said pocket to the waste compartment in said waste receptacle, roller bearings for said ,Waste receptacle, and a resilient support-for said liquid lubricant receptacle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 16th day of June, 1919.

J AS. J. HENNESSY. 

